Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-30
THE WOMEN IN HOLLAND.
Curious Customs from the ID ays OF
Spanish Dominion.

Spanish Dominion.
are set apart for wedding days-Wed-
nesday, Thursday and Saturday. We'd
nesday the lower classes marry, as no
expense is attached to the ceremony.
Thursdays marriage costs 25 guldens,
and on Saturday double that amount,
or $50. At last the wedding day ar
rives; flowers and evergreen are strewn
in front of the house; the young cou-
pie. attended by relatives and friends,
proceed to the stad huts, where the
marriage knot is tied by the Mayor, he
being the only one allowed tc perform
the civil ceremony. Immediately after
a religious ceremony takes place. The
necessary ceremonies being conducted
the party proceed to cafe or hall
those musically inclined singing lively
songs on the way, and the others gayly
responding to the facetir and con-
ggatulations OF the passers by. When
all are indoors large silver bowl, used
only at births and marriage feasts
(and loaned if not owned,) alled with
brandewyn and raisins, is brought
forth and circulated among the guests
who drink the liquid with an iron
spoon. Afterward a substantial we'd
ding dinner is given, la-ting, inter
spersed with singing, dancing and
amateur theatrlcals, etc, until the
following pay, and to leave the festive
board before the dawn is considered
indecOrOuS.
To marry by proxy, or, as it Is called.
marriage by the glove" u prevalent
IN Holland, and is caused by the fact
that many of the eligable young men.
after having finished their education
in the schools OF the Fatherland, de,
part for Dutch India to engage IN some
lucrative commercial enterprise or tC
accept a position in the colonial service.
The scarcity of maTriageable white
ladies in that cline induces the would
be-husband to write to a friend in HOl
land, inclosIng a wish for wife. The
friend selects a willing young lady,
generally with substantial dot and
otherwise conforming closely TO the
specifications of the letter. A photo
graph of the favored one Is incloSed IL
the return epistle. After the lapse of a
few months. sOIled left-hand glove,
with a power-of-attorney is received
from the tar away bachelor. The
friend IN Holland marries the selected
bride in precisely the same manner as
if he were the actual groom, and the
young wife departs in the next India
mail steamer to bring happiness and
prosperity to the lonely one III the faI
East. y marriage of this description
is rs binding as if the bridegroom were
present, and never Tepudlated. Ii
either party to the glove marriage
should die before meeting in India, the
survivor would share the property of
deceased in accordance with the laws.
The laws in HOLLAND in regard TO the
legal position OF the wife are very
much behind the age, and the husband
can do about as DE likes with the per
son and property of his helpmate. The
laws are silent as to the wife's claim
on the husband, but legal gentlemen
assure me that this apparent void III
the law book is caused by the invaria-
ble devotion of the Hollander to his
home and inmates. Love for home,
wife and children is nowhere more
thoroughly illustrated than il the
Netherlands, and cases Of neglect to
provide in every possible way are rare
in the land of the dykes.
The wives of the lower classes and
their daughters try in every imag nable
way to aid the husband In procuring .
living. In summer you will observe
hundreds of them on their knees i'll the
public square armed with three-inch
spike wedding the grass blades from
between the stones. they receive twelve
cents per day; others are engaged i'll
wheeling Sani INTO outward-bound
merchant ships to be used as ballast.
You Will see a woman pushing wheel
barrow containing about 200 pounds of
sand up Il broad gangway inclined
about thirty degrees, at a gait simply
wonderful considering that the wheeler
Is or the weaker sex.
Passing d little farther on you will
meet a small procession on the towpath
of the river Amstel, consisting of the
mother and two or thres daughters,
! haTnessed to the tOwline of a canal
boat, very much in the manner of
American mules. They hang, as il
were in the harness, and the swinging,
regular walk used by them proves that
4 great part of their lives has passed in
that way. When the boat comes
abreast you feel like using ropes end
| On the father of the family, who, pla-
cidly smoking pipe, sits in the stern
steering the vessel; but your anger Will
cool when investigation shows that II
he took to the towpath and allowed his
wife the helm all damages for collision,
etc, would have to be paid by him.
You cross a railroad track, aud cast
ing a glance along the iron path, fe-
male, dressed in a tunic and gllstCning
helmet, waving a white signal ha9
catches your eye. She IS the watch
man" at the crossing. At every rail-
road IN Holland this position is filed
by a woman, and railroad officials AS
sure me that no accident has ever been
caused by a watchwOman-s Careless
ness. They receive 20 guldeD (SS pei
month;) a male would receive double
that salary, and might get intoxicated
once in awhile; hence the railroad Is
benefited both ways.